MAM
Publicis Groupe names Rahul Titus global influencer lead
Ogilvy’s former global head of influence to unify creator operations worldwide
UK: Publicis Groupe has tapped Rahul Titus to lead its influencer capability globally, tightening its grip on the fast-maturing creator economy.
Titus, one of the industry’s early architects, joins from Ogilvy, where he built what was billed as the world’s largest and most awarded influencer marketing operation. In his new role, based in London, he will align Publicis Groupe’s influencer agencies under a single global proposition, tasked with delivering consistent solutions that drive growth across its connected media ecosystem.
The move signals Publicis’ intent to professionalise and scale influencer marketing beyond fragmented campaigns and regional silos. Titus will shape the influencer narrative across the Groupe, integrating talent, data and commerce as brands demand sharper returns from creator partnerships.
At Ogilvy, Titus led specialist teams spanning more than 40 markets and over 650 influencer experts. The agency claimed seven consecutive years, from 2019 to 2025, as the most awarded influencer marketing network globally. His teams secured the Grand Prix for Social & Creator at Cannes Lions for three successive years and clinched the Titanium in 2025 for Vaseline Verified.
Titus also steered WPP Onefluence for L’Oréal and served as global influence lead for WPP Open X, overseeing influencer strategy for more than 200 brands across 195 countries for The Coca-Cola Company. Earlier roles included managing partner and head of influence for the UK and EMEA at Ogilvy, as well as senior positions at MediaCom, Dentsu Aegis Network and YMU.
A founding board member of the Influencer Marketing Trade Body, Titus has long argued that the creator economy must move from hype to discipline. Publicis appears to agree.
As influencer budgets swell and scrutiny sharpens, the brief is clear: scale fast, integrate smarter and prove the returns. The creator economy has grown up. Now it must deliver.
MAM
Raghu Rai passes away at 83, leaves behind iconic legacy
Padma Shri-winning photographer documented history across 5 decades.
MUMBAI: The lens may have stilled, but the stories it captured will never fade. Raghu Rai, one of India’s most celebrated photojournalists, passed away on April 26, 2026, at the age of 83. He breathed his last at a private hospital in New Delhi after battling cancer and age-related health issues.
His son, Nitin Rai, revealed that Rai had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, which later spread to the stomach and, more recently, the brain. Despite multiple rounds of treatment, his health had declined in recent months.
Born in 1942 in Jhang, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Rai entered photography in his early twenties, inspired by his elder brother, photographer S. Paul. Beginning his career in the mid-1960s, he went on to build a body of work that spanned more than five decades, contributing to global publications such as Time, Life, GEO, Le Figaro, The New York Times, Vogue, GQ and Marie Claire.
His global recognition took a decisive leap in 1977 when legendary French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated him to join Magnum Photos, placing him among the world’s most respected visual storytellers.
Rai’s lens chronicled both power and poignancy. He photographed towering figures such as Indira Gandhi, Dalai Lama, Bal Thackeray, Satyajit Ray and Mother Teresa, while also documenting defining moments like the Bhopal gas tragedy later captured in his book Exposure: A Corporate Crime.
Over the years, he published more than 18 books, building an archive that blended journalism with artistry. His contributions were recognised early when he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972 for his coverage of the Bangladesh War and refugee crisis. In 1992, he was named “Photographer of the Year” in the United States for his work in National Geographic, and in 2009, he was honoured with the Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
Rai is survived by his wife Gurmeet, son Nitin, and daughters Lagan, Avani and Purvai. His last rites will be held at Lodhi Cremation Ground in New Delhi at 4 pm on Sunday.
With his passing, Indian photojournalism loses not just a pioneer, but a patient observer of history, one frame at a time.
